Awaken the Heart by Opening the Mind

Publications

To bring you some warmth this wintertime, Bodhicharya Publications is very happy to announce the publication of a new Heart Wisdom book.

Radiance of the Heartpresents Ringu Tulku’s teachings on Kindness, Compassion and Bodhicitta. Following on from the publication last year of the Lazy Lama booklet Lazy Lama looks at Loving-Kindness, this text develops this core topic further. Drawing on five teaching sources, the text first encourages us with a practical look at how to bring kindness and compassion into our daily lives. Ringu Tulku discusses themes of meditation and the practice of tonglen; and answers a wide range of questions.

The text then looks towards kindness and compassion from a more ultimate perspective: Ultimate Bodhicitta, the heart essence of enlightenment. Embodying such understanding brings an ever purer expression of kindness and compassion, imbued with deepening wisdom. Thus, the text aims to present a wide-ranging, but pithy, contemplation of this subject, central to the hearts and lives of us all.

Copies will be available in February and you can pre-order your copy from Bodhicharya Publications here in the Book Shop.

In this seventh booklet in the Lazy Lama series, Ringu Tulku looks at how we all need love and asks us to consider the benefits of generating loving kindness for each other. Rinpoche shares with us an Indian saying;

‘ When the trees support each other then we have houses and cities, when human beings support each other we have society, we have civilization.’

So, the whole of society, of civilization, survives by supporting and helping each other. But how can we, as imperfect human beings, offer even an ‘imperfect’ love, and is that enough? Yes, says Rinpoche, we can and should start from where we are. We can offer loving kindness, help and support for each other now, while aspiring towards an ideal unconditional love. Rinpoche encourages us, in these seemingly simple and concise teachings, to develop the courage of a hero dedicated to love, and to find our true brave heart.

Our largest investment of profits, made this year, has gone into creating a new online web archive which will give members access to all Rinpoche’s teachings in recorded format. This large scale project is very much still in progress but you will be the first to hear when it is ready….

This book contains his teachings on the practice of Vajrasattva, including first Taking Refuge; and explores in some depth what it means to ‘be pure,’ to ‘purify’ or to ‘realise Vajrasattva.’ These teachings were originally given at Bodhicharya Meditation Centre in Sikkim, so contain some of the essence of how these concepts can be explored more deeply in the spaciousness of retreat.

The book also presents the root text by His Holiness 17th Karmapa, which Rinpoche’s teaching is a commentary on. And incorporates calligraphies of Vajrasattva’s mantras by Tashi Mannox and an image of Vajrasattva by Salga. Compiled and edited by Mary Heneghan, with layout and design by Paul O’Connor.

Bodhicharya Publications are pleased to announce the publication of Ringu Tulku’s latest book. ‘Parables from the Heart’brings together a collection of Rinpoche’s favourite stories, told over many years, both previously-published and unpublished. Pat Little has collated these stories and edited this volume, with Mary Heneghan, and Conrad Harvey has provided line drawings to illustrate the stories. A special inclusion is an interview with Ringu Tulku about using stories as teachings. As always, the book’s production is a real team effort, with Paul O’Connor providing the graphic design and Rachel Moffitt co-ordinating the printing and distribution.

After many years in formation and development, we are happy to announce that Bodhicharya Publications has this year registered as a Community Interest Company, in the UK. A CIC means we have the aim to benefit the community, and this is not just a Buddhist community, but anyone generally – helping people deal with life better. We publish a number of Rinpoche’s books, including the Lazy Lama series and the Heart Wisdom series and all our books are available via the Book Shop here.

We have three Directors: Mary Heneghan, Paul O’Connor and Rachel Moffitt. If you contact us or order a book direct, you’ll come through to Rachel, who is in charge of all the admin and distribution. Mary oversees the editing and writing and Paul provides all the layout and graphic design of the books.

Many students have been involved along the way: Margaret Ford founded BPs in its infancy and started the Heart Wisdom series, Cait Collins started the Lazy Lama series, Maria Hündorf-Kaiser set up the archive of Rinpoche’s teachings and many students have contributed transcribing, editing and proof reading work. (We’re so pleased Margaret is back working with us again now, too.) All our work is offered voluntarily so that all profits go back into producing further books and donating to charitable projects. Previous donations have included to the Berlin Shrine Room appeal and for the earthquake in Nepal earlier this year.

Finally… we’d particularly like to hear of any non-English language books that have been produced of Rinpoche’s books, so we can create an up to date list for the website.

You can contact us via the Book Shop or publications@bodhicharya.org. Thank you.

This volume is a commentary by Ringu Tulku on a text by the great 19th Century Tibetan Lama and teacher, Patrul Rinpoche, called ‘Victory over the Maras.’ It looks at what the maras are: all the obstacles, hindrances and set-backs that occur in our lives. They are listed and described – including ‘Secret’ and even ‘Top Secret’ maras. Once we understand how to view the difficult things that happen in our life, specific antidotes and remedies are given to help us clear them, so we can move on, unhindered. The ultimate remedy is to understand, experientially, the wisdom of how things really exist, the wisdom of emptiness:

‘If somebody is wise and understands transcendental wisdom, and has an experience of looking into that, that person becomes like a bird in the sky: nothing can obstruct them from going through. So, therefore, no maras can be of any obstruction to them.’

If you are a centre hosting Rinpoche in the coming months and would like to stock up on his books published by Bodhicharya Publications, we now have six Lazy Lama series titles available and six Heart Wisdom series titles. The full series of either can be purchased for a discounted price. Please allow plenty of time for dispatch.

We are very happy to announce that we have a new Lazy Lama book now available for pre-ordering in the Bodhicharya Publications Online Bookshop here.

This pocket-sized, accessible book looks at how we can experience our true nature, starting with learning how to relax. This is the art and heart of meditation. But all too often people become discouraged or lose focus when they start to meditate, especially when they find they don’t make the kind of progress they were expecting to. Rather than providing us with a formal practice manual, Ringu Tulku here offers us an accessible, relaxed and realistic approach to developing experience and personal realisation of our true nature.

Bodhicharya Publications is happy to announce that the second editions of the Lazy series are now available to buy online in our bookstore.

The new books are now a smaller A6 size and have new covers and layouts. They make ideal gifts for family and friends, with Rinpoche’s easily digestible teaching style. But they are also great for the more seasoned practitioner, giving a refreshing overview and reminder of the essence and purpose of Dharma practice.

We hope that this new edition continues to bring benefit to all that read them.

New Heart Wisdom book out now!

Ringu Tulku’s latest book presents 37 short teachings, designed to be read individually and integrated with our practice and daily life. Together they take us on a journey through the vehicles of Buddhism, elucidating some common misunderstandings and basic principles of the Buddhist path, all the while encouraging us to move from our head (intellectual understanding) towards our heart (experiential understanding).

‘To get an experiential understanding you have to go deep into yourself and learn how to bring your awareness and mindfulness to the place from which you deeply experience. It is a matter of ‘heart’ rather than ‘head’. Sometimes it is said that the longest journey is from your head to your heart. Which is what we mean when we talk about developing the right view and understanding it experientially. This is an on going process.’